The Earth’s Health is Your Health

In the springtime, we eagerly anticipate the fresh green of the new foliage, signifying the awakening of life in the flora around us after a cold and often long winter. As each season fades into the next, and the green turns into various hues of gold, red, orange and brown, then retreats into bareness, we may grumble and express our discontent. Yet, when acres of green forest teeming with life are cut down to raise lifeless, colorless buildings, we do not seem to be bothered. As a society, we do not understand what we are losing, not only in terms of biodiversity, sources of rare medicinal plants and rare animals, but also in terms of our spirits as citizens of this planet. We cannot live divorced from the earth. We must feverishly protect the wonderful and intricate web of life that is billions of years in the making. Both animate and inanimate beings are all members of this web. If one member of this web is disturbed, the vitality of the other members, including humans, is also disrupted. We have seen a marked increase during the past few decades in the incidence of cancer and various environmental allergies. These health signs cannot be disregarded and we must, as a species and as a society, acknowledge our role in it. We are using the web of life to fulfill our greed, rather than being a positive, contributing member to life.

Incidentally, green is the official color of the medical profession – a profession that aims to maintain and sustain life in humans. We must be careful that, as we go on our own path to health, we do not tread heavily on mother earth. In the present health care system, too many resources are being used with unsatisfactory results. We have more technology and fancy medicines, but are we honestly more healthy as a society as a result of these advances? Probably not. We have food to feed ourselves, but we are not eating the right types of food. Thus while we have the highest rates of obesity in our nation, we are the most malnourished country in the world. Rather than live a life of balance, we veer away from simple, daily measures to achieve health and perpetually rely on expensive medicines to deal with illnesses that are in their end-stage.

As you progress on your personal path to health, we hope you will be inspired to turn a world run by greed to a world committed to “green.” The earth’s health is your health. Love other people and love the earth. Please read this section and share the information with others.

Green Tips

Purchase durable, long lasting reusable items for serving and eating food such as silverware, glasses, bowls, mugs, plates, and cloth napkins. When you choose reusable over disposable, even if it costs more up front, it will save money and be less wasteful. Think about the amount of trash you can …more…

Community Gardens are community spaces that are communally cultivated and cared for; these spaces may consist of individually-worked plots, multiple person caretaker areas, sitting areas, and small-scale children play areas. Some say community gardens are the last existing opportunity Americans have to reclaim common spaces. This article offers great information …more…

Did you know that roughly 73 cents of every dollar spent at a local business stays within the community, compared to 43 cents for non-local chain stores? When you buy from local businesses, you help that business employ community workers, support other local businesses, and contribute to the community’s overall …more…

Wondering what our state’s capitol city is doing about climate change? The city is committed to making St. Paul “The Most Livable City in America” and a leader in sustainable urban living. To accomplish this, the city concentrates on energy efficiency and conservation, clean energy supply, alternative fuels, transportation options, …more…

Wait. Scratch that. Don’t make your own list of simple things you can do today to make a positive difference for the climate—use ours! This list offers 20 easy things you can do that will help you and your family lighten your load on the environment, keep more money in …more…

Office paper is highly recyclable, but reducing or preventing paper waste is even more cost effective than recycling. Some ideas for reducing office paper waste: Double-sided copying and printing. Reusing paper. Keep a collection box by the copy machine for bad copies so the second side can be reused. Make …more…

Did you know that the average Minnesota household throws 15 pounds of compostable materials into the trash every single week? Composting is an easy and simple way to have an immediate personal impact by diverting trash from the landfill or incinerator. Backyard composting takes leaves, grass clippings, veggie scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, …more…